Where can I get a copy of the map?

Here you are able to download the paper (free of charge, since HESS in an open access journal) along with the map as an image file (.jpg) and as a raster file (ArcMap) from the Supplement section (again free of charge).

When you unzip the supplementary file, make sure that the option for unzipping to sub-folders (or sub-directories) is turned on, otherwise ArcMap may not recognise the raster file.

Two GoogleEarth layers (*.kml) of the map are available basic info version and detailed info version. Save the link to your computer and open the kml file in GoogleEarth. [Thanks to Gerrit Hendriksen for the detailed info version].

An ascii version of the published ArcMap raster file is available from here. Both the ArcMap raster and the ascii raster use the GCS_WGS_1984 projection in ArcMap (0.1 x 0.1 degree resolution).

Am I allowed to use the map?

Yes! Please use the map for non-commercial purposes and cite "Peel et al (2007)" and the reference above. If you adapt or modify the map, cite "Adpated from Peel et al (2007)" and the reference above.

Hydrology and Earth Systems Sciences is published under a Creative Commons Attribution, NonCommercial and ShareAlike License. This means that you are free to use and adapt the map so long as you abide by the terms of the License (acknowledge the original source & non-commercial use), which is why we chose to publish the map in this journal.

Suspected Errors

Elevated areas of Santa Catarina, Brazil - Due to a lack of precipitation and temperature stations in this region, the zone of Cfb would likely include the areas of higher elevation (1000m - 1500m), which are currently indicated to be Cfa. [Thanks Fábio]

Colombia - we only had six precipitation and temperature stations in Colombia on which to base the interpolation across rugged terrain, which is likely to result in a poor representation of the true climate types in Colombia. [Thanks Carlos]

Albania - we did not have any precipitation and temperature stations in Albania on which to base the interpolation, which is likely to result in a poor representation of the true climate types in Albania. [Thanks Dritan]

What do the symbols mean?

A description of the climate types and the rules used to calculate the climate types is given in Table 1 of Peel et al (2007), which is reproduced below. The units are precipitation in millimeters (mm) and temperature in degrees Celsius (oC).